The Jungle

About this Book

Published in 1906, The Jungle portrays the fictional story of Lithuanian immigrant Jurgus Rudkus and his family. They begin their hopes for the "American Dream" in the meatpacking district of Chicago, an area contaminated by thieves, political bosses and above all: exploitation. Jurgus begins in the monopoly controlled Meat industry and experiences first hand the filth and corruption from the blood soaked machinery, right up to the crooks in charge of it. Hit by travesties, temptation, and an awful theme of bad luck, The Jungle tells of a humble man and his family torn down by big shot capitalism. Originally written to expose the filth in the Meat industry, Upton Sinclair's The Jungle exposes "The American Dream" as a fraud and anyone ignorant enough to get in its path.